Free Hexagon Crochet Pattern

I have been working on several crochet patterns that I wanted to offer for free on my blog! So these past several weeks I have written, taken apart and re written several things! Well I am now ready to share one with you guys!

This simple hexagon pattern works up so quickly and is super simple. Great for a beginners project! This pattern is written in U.S terms but can be easily changed to U.K with a quick Google search!

What you'll need: G hook 
                           Cotton Yarn (I used Peaches and Cream)
                           Scissors
                           Embroidery Needle for sewing ends.

*Pattern*
 Make a magic ring and chain 3 (this counts as your first double crochet) then dc 11 more into the ring.  Join with a slip stitch into the top of your first chain 3. Pull ring tight.

Round 2*
 Chain 3, dc (double crochet) into the same stitch as the chain 3. Chain 1, 2 dc in the next stitch, chain 1, do this around ( you will have 24 double crochet and 12 chain spaces.) Join with a slip stitch into the top of your first chain 3.

Round 3*
 Slip stitch over to the very first chain 1 space. Then chain 2, 2dc into the same space, chain 2 and do another 2dc into the same space. 2dc into the next chain space. (2dc, ch2, 2dc, <this will be the corners of the hexagon.)  2dc into the next chain 1 space, 2dc ch2 2dc into the next chain 1. Do this  around. Join with a slip stitch and fasten off!

I hope you enjoy this pattern! This is my first, so if you have any questions please let me know. I am planning on adding a step by step picture tutorial very soon! Happy stitching!

                         

Be Still

   I find more and more that I am running all day trying to make sure my kids are taken care of and dinner is fixed, and my husband is ready to leave for work. Making sure my kiddos are doing their schooling, chores and finding a bit of time for me (which is rare, but I am fine with that.).  Yesterday while reading books, giving some mommy cuddles and cleaning house I realized how fast my babies are growing. It seems like just yesterday we welcomed out first daughter into this world...I kept asking myself over and over how did this happen? My oldest will be 8, my middle man will be 5 and our baby will be 3...time needs to slow down!

 So after they were tucked away in bed I sat and realized that time will not slow down, I need to.  God has given me this wonderful gift of motherhood and I am not taking all the time to fully capture every single moment with them. I try, believe me I do. But dishes can wait when Emma (2) is pulling on my pant leg wanting hugs, dusting can wait when my son wants me to read him a book, and folding laundry can wait when my daughter Grace (7) wants to sit and chat...my chores can wait.  I feel overwhelmed at times, and feel like I am not giving them 100% because so much 'needs' to be done. But they are only this age for a short while so why not enjoy it with them.  They are always wanting and eager to help me with chores and what not and I usually just tell them to go and sit down, or go play because I need to get things done. Not any more! I have made a promise to myself and my family, and let them help in any way they want to. Not to be so quick to turn them away, because deep down I know how they feel and I see the look on their faces and it hurts.

God has been showing me this and putting it on my heart for awhile. But I was so 'busy' I never fully listened and actually took it in. So last night as I was reading  my devotional before bed it hit me like a ton of bricks. 'BE STILL, things can wait but they need you now.' At that moment I knew what I needed to do for myself and for my family.  Appreciate the spilled glasses of milk that I need to wipe up, the dirty dishes in the sink from family meals and the laundry that clothe my family. Take it in, when you feel overwhelmed and stretched to thin, just look at life and motherhood from a different perspective and you will notice a huge change very quickly.  So my friends today I am taking more time to appreciate the small things and to slow down and enjoy life!

MY LIST OF GOALS:

Read more to my kids.
Listen
Get to know them more. 
Take more time to sit and cuddle.
Talk and listen to them more.
Enjoy the messes!
Get them evolved.
LOVE THEM MORE AND MORE EVERY SINGLE DAY!! (if that's possible ;) my heart is full of so much love for them it is amazing!) 
Pray for patience and guidance.
Be Still.


                                                             Many Blessings,
                                                                     Amanda 

Forgiveness

'Forgive as the Lord forgave you.' Colossians 3:13

Forgiveness....such a hard thing to do.  I struggle with this from time to time because I feel as though it sometimes may be mistaken as excusing them from what they have done. I find myself having an inner battle of anger and wanting to let them know how I feel about the situation in a hateful way instead of a loving way. God is working on me with this and I have forgiven and moved on...but not without tons of prayer.  But after the fact I feel so much better and I can move on, I can breathe easier. I can notice a huge difference in my attitude and then in my home. 

 
Jesus forgives us. He FORGIVES! I sometimes shout that out when I am not wanting to forgive someone! I will no longer let them hold me back, tear me down and defy me.  If the Lord can forgive us for what wrong we have done. which I am sure is much worse than what someone has done to me than I can do it too.  Even though there will be struggles along the way I will overcome this and draw closer to Jesus. Instilling this into my children is something I want for them so badly. And until I can do it myself without second guessing then I can't fully teach them.  So please pray for me to be more Christ like and forgive more easily.  

Setting Goals

Welcome to 2014! Did you make any New Years Resolutions this year? And if you did, do you stick to them? 

Every year I make plans and write things down and try to stick to them for about a week or so then I get bored and I move on. But this year I set goals for myself and I am listening to God and letting go of what I thought I wanted to do. I am following God's plans for me and my family this year, and I have a feeling this year is going to be a smooth one!  


It has been such a struggle for me to just let go and let God lead. I am praying that this time I can just do it and trust fully in what He has in store for me.  I feel that when I take control knowing that I am not doing as God wants me to do things fall apart. And then the tense moments set in. But when I just allow Him to work in my life through prayer I notice a huge difference in the day. I also want to take more time in the mornings to just take in scripture and pray for my family and guidance for the day.  But I mean let's face it when you have 3 kiddos waking up at the exact same time needing mommy, food, drinks and cuddles it is hard to find the time to do this.  But it is worth it, I speak in a calm voice and the little things don't bother me as much as they would have if I just got up and was in a grumpy mood right away. 


So this year make it a point to follow what God has planned for you. Be happy. Be blessed! 


                                                                     Happy New Year!~
                                                                                          Amanda

Happy New Year!

What I'm Reading

So lately I have been reading a ton of devotionals and I actually won this in a giveaway from This Southern Girls Heart!   The book is called 'Coffee Talks with Jesus' by BarbieSwihart from My Freshly Brewed Life
Okay, I can't put this down! It is absolutely inspiring to me, this is a book that makes me think! How amazing would it be to actually sit and talk with our Lord and Savior?? I just can't imagine! 'Ask the Lord to show you a place where it is just you and Him. What does it look like?' This is out of her book and so I sat down and me and my 7 year old daughter wrote about what we seen and what we felt. It was so amazing to hear what she had to say and to see what she drew and wrote. Think about it...what would you say or do if you were able to sit and have coffee with Jesus.
I am going to try to link the book so you can purchase it! It is so worth it and you will not be disappointed I promise!

                                   ~Amanda~

Ringing In The New Year!

Hello! And welcome to my new blog, My Mommy Nest.  Here you will find encouragement, my daily struggles and how God has lead me and helped me through the darkest days and the brightest days! I am a mommy to 3 wonderful kiddos, and God has given me an amazing husband to learn and grow with. I feel as though God has lead me to blog about Him and what He has done for us and also just to show you that it is okay not to be perfect,  and it is okay to break down and lean on God and your family....that's why they are there!

I  love to read so I will be sharing my favorite books, such as Devotionals and so on.
I am an avid crocheter so you'll be finding my 'Latest Projects' and my Shop on this blog! I am hoping to have free patterns and links to the patterns as well! Sewing projects and recipes will also be on here! And I can't forget about pictures, I love photography and capturing nature through my lens as well as my rowdy kids!haha So will you please join me through my journey in 2014, I feel God has some exciting things planned for us and I can't wait to share them with you!

                                   Until we meet again,
                                                                   Amanda